By Emma Kemp

Under-pressure coach John Aloisi can breathe a momentary sigh of relief, with Brisbane responding to this week's humiliation with an A-League win over Central Coast to sneak into the top six.

The Mariners were their own worst enemies on Saturday night in Gosford, committing two errors that proved the difference in the 2-1 scoreline - the Roar's 11th straight game against Central Coast without defeat.

The hosts' woes were compounded when Wout Brama was sent off in injury time for a shocking tackle on Corey Gameiro, sure to pique the match review panel's attention.

A week after scoring the match winner at home to Perth, injury-afflicted playmaker Brett Holman opened up a first-half lead in Gosford before his provider Matt McKay netted a second after the break, their party only spoiled by Blake Powell's second-half consolation.

Extra time: An angry Mariners coach Paul Okon takes offence to something said after the final whistle.

Photo: AAP

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The importance of this match for the Roar could not be overstated, after Tuesday's embarrassing Asian Champions League loss laid bare the club's desperate situation on and off the field.

Another night of Brisbane disappointment appeared on the cards when Danish midfielder Thomas Kristensen limped off early with an apparent hamstring injury.

But by the 23rd minute, they had pulled ahead courtesy of an error from the otherwise well-performing Jacob Melling.

The former Wanderer coughed possession up on a plate for McKay and the Roar skipper found Holman, who approached with composure and finished past Ben Kennedy in identical fashion.

The Roar charged down the right flank in search of another before halftime and Jack Hingert's cross was on point, but Massimo Maccarone came off second best in the battle with Kennedy.

The visitors needed only wait 10 minutes into the second half for another costly Mariners mistake.

Kennedy passed out to Tom Hiariej but McKay was quick to cut off the Dutchman and slid the ball cooly into the net as the gloveman rushed off his goal.

Just after the hour mark, Paul Okon's men pulled one back in style.

Brama reverse passed to Lachlan Wales and the 20-year-old sucked in orange-shirted defenders and fed out left to Powell, who shimmied past Hingert and swept his tight-angled finish past Jamie Young inside the far post.

As Jade North succumbed to injury with 20 minutes to spare, the hosts had a chance to share the spoils.

That hope was shot when Brama scraped Gameiro's shins with his studs in such ugly fashion the video assistant referee upgraded the referee's initial yellow card to a straight red.

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This left the Mariners in eighth with ninth-placed Perth still to play Western Sydney on Sunday.